


Feathers and Blood

by PinetreeVillain



Series: Humanformers [2]
Category: Humanformers - Fandom, Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Hermaphrodites, Human AU, Humanformers, Internal Damage, M/M, Miscarriage, Mpreg, One-Sided Relationship, Unplanned Pregnancy, hinted - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-07-18 21:04:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7330615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinetreeVillain/pseuds/PinetreeVillain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Megatron's made many mistakes. Starscream has made a lot of mistakes.</p><p>This mistake...</p><p>This mistake will likely be either their best or worst.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. No Secrets

Starscream was acting weird.

Not absurdly weird like he did when he was overcharged, it was hardly noticeable. Starscream himself probably didn't even notice. It took someone who knew ever little aspect of Starscream's personality and behavior to notice. 

That is why Megatron noticed outright.

The first thing he did was so mundane, Megatron hadn't even thought of it until now. 

Starscream had asked him if he was going to finish his food. Megatron had been shocked for a total of one second before he was denying the seeker seconds and putting him on half rations for even asking. 

In hindsight, that was a terrible idea and Starscream almost died because of it. 

Megatron honestly had no idea what had gotten into the seeker, especially when he caught Starscream making faces at not just Soundwave, but himself as well. He glanced at a tinted window and caught Starscream with a curled lip and rolling eyes like Megatron was the worst joke to have ever been told. He'd been so surprise that when he turned around to face Starscream all he could manage was a bewildered expression and an awkward silence as Starscream stood in horrified silence. 

He'd ended up sending the SiC to the medbay with several bruises and a sprained wrist.

It continued to get weirder. 

However, it wasn't until now that Megatron realized putting Starscream on half rations was a terrible mistake. 

It certainly wasn't the first time he'd done it. He'd be more irritable, sure, anyone half starved would; shoving soldiers around and once he flipped a table. But this time... Was very very different.

It was two weeks after he'd put Starscream on half rations, and the SiC looked like he'd drop dead with just the slightest wind. His skin was paler than usual, he swayed on his heels, his breathing was labored, he looked at the back of feeding soldiers' heads with a look that could kill if it wasn't eclipsed with despair. In addition, Starscream had been even more of a suck up than usual, especially towards the very person who was starving him. He'd offered himself up at one point, sliding manicured claws down the warlord's arm and straddling his thighs in the middle of the command deck, trying to swindle alcohol out of him. Megatron left the SiC dumped gracelessly on the floor and heavier than usual. 

Where they'd stood at that point, Megatron felt nothing but disgust as he looked down at his subordinate groveling at his feet, begging for forgiveness after a failed energy raid. He stood over a broken bird like a young boy with a baseball bat, fists clenched. 

"Master, please! The Autobots had reinforcements and the relics-"

"Enough excuses, Starscream!" he thundered down at him, "this has gone on long enough. I've had it with your behavior and your inability to do anything right. You're ignorance has cost us three mines and a relic. Are you trying to starve the crew like I am starving you?"

"No, sir!" Starscream managed only that before the tyrant began crushing his windpipes. He clawed helplessly at Megatron's leather fist. 

"My patience has never been worn so thin. I've been far too lenient with you," Starscream choked at Megatron's words, face getting redder and redder from oxygen deprivation. He pleaded with his mismatched eyes, expression the paradigm of desperation. He hadn't really thought about what he was doing as he easily lifted Starscream off the ground.

White and silver wings beating hysterically at the air did nothing to hinder the gladiator as he retracted a clenched fist. He aimed higher than he normally would. If he was lucky, he could hit the seeker hard enough that it killed him and be done with it. At this proximity, and fueled by rage from the Pit, it wouldn't be too different from getting hit by a train. 

"Wa-it..." Starscream wheezed. His heeled feet came up to try and block the blow, but unfortunately, his oxygen shortage had him weaker than he thought, and all he did was soften the hit enough that it didn't blow him up. As weak as he was without air, Starscream managed a shrill shriek of pain as Megatron's fist struck his abdomen.

His arm swung back to hit again and stayed poised even when he saw the tears streaming down Starscream's pale face. So shocked, as he had _never_ seen Starscream cry before, he nearly dropped him on the floor. 

His grip slackened dramatically and Starscream inhaled so deeply he coughed on the air sobbing. The blood rushed back to his face. Megatron found that his joints were locked and couldn't ignore the feeling he'd made a mistake. 

"Please, no," Starscream begged, his voice hoarse and breathless. "Don't hit me again."

Megatron couldn't stop his fist from tightening just slightly. Starscream gasped, braced for the warlord to choke him again. Behind him his wings sagged on the ground helplessly. 

"Why," Megatron's voice was harsh enough to make the seeker flinch. Starscream's eyes twisted shut, biting into his swollen bottom lip. This was a familiar expression, one associated with silence. " _Starscream. Answer me... NOW_!" Starscream twisted his face away. "Are you _denying me, Starscream_?" Megatron's hissing breath cooled the wet streaks on Starscream's cheeks. The SiC whimpered pitifully, head rolling back to face the tyrant. 

"I..." His voice came out barely above a whisper, small and meek. He swallowed several times, throat moving against Megatron's hand before his eyes opened, wide and terrified. "I didn't know... Until Knockout did a scan five days ago..."

Something rattled in his head as he began to piece the puzzle together. However, Starscream beat him to it. 

"I'm carrying," It was even quieter, not wanting to be heard but it seemed to echo. He somehow met His Lord's gaze. "It's yours." 

Whatever reaction Starscream expected was not the one he got. He didn't even know _what_ he was expecting. 

Megatron dropped his Second like he'd burned him, his wine red eyes hardened with disbelief and what could only be described as disgust. Starscream might as well have been a bomb about to go off. Then, with a shift that rivaled Earth's sand dunes, Megatron's disbelief turned into unbridles rage. 

"You've kept this from me... For _FIVE DAYS_?!" Megatron's thundering voice made Starscream curl into himself, trembling arms wrapped protectively around his stomach. "You've reached a whole new level of stupidity and foolishness I cannot even comprehend it." The force behind his own voice had Megatron feeling unsettled. He looked down at Starscream trembling on the floor, wings folded back submissively. That small bird-boned body faced him like a sheep in front of the slaughter house. "No explanation you have could remedy this, Starscream, but I want one anyway." 

"I was afraid," Starscream blurted, one had curled around his likely bruised neck. _Of you_ went unsaid. "I was afraid you'd have me terminate." 

There were few things that could throw Megatron off. This was one of them.

He was many things. Horrible things. A murdered, a psychopath, a miner, a gladiator, and conqueror. He was not heartless. Indeed, there were things he'd done that could be seen as heartless acts, but Megatron made it a habit to remember what he was feeling with each kill, and yes, while some were done with a smile on his face, in his head he lived by the mantra "every death is a step closer for the cause". He did not have a hatred for termination, but he knew the kind of bond a carrier had with their child even before they were born. He'd seen prostitutes scream and cry when they were forced to part with they offspring. He couldn't imagine forcing it on anyone, even if it was Starscream.

But there were so many _cons_ to this; he'd _impregnated_ one of his subordinates whom he'd thought had been dutifully equipped with a fully functioning inhibitor. 

He had nothing to say.

There was nothing he could say.

Seconds of anguished silence bled into minutes before Megatron took a step away, suddenly comprehending what he'd done.

"Go to the Med Bay and stay there until I come and get you," he fought with himself to keep his voice from sounding too harsh. Starscream's head snapped his head up in time to seem Megatron move away. Instinctively, almost habitually, Starscream lurched forward to latch onto the tyrant's calf but he froze up, bent over. 

"I-I..." He stuttered, wings hiking up in a familiar show of fear. "I can't." Megatron turned around suddenly, Starscream flinching with shaking shoulders. He stood over the seeker and took in his paper white skin, dark circles, unfocused eyes and he realized the problem. 

Starscream's half rations had him starving himself and the child he was carrying. The thing had to leech off whatever nutrients it could get, thus sucking him dry and frail. Insatiable hunger was a common side effect of pregnancy and now everything made so much more sense. From where he sat on the ground, Starscream was physically incapable of standing on his own, let alone make the effort.

Three weeks.

How had the seeker managed to even walk down the halls?

Starscream jerked away in a full body flinch when Megatron stepped back towards him. Megatron stomached the obvious show of fear and weakness. He was unable to stomach the muffled noise of panic when Megatron thrust his down, palm up, in front of the seeker's face. He did not a sound of move a muscle to wait for Starscream to realize the hand meant no harm. Starscream stared at the hand like it would explode or whip up to crush his throat again or worse. 

Very slowly, with the caution of a bird, Starscream's clawed hand shook as it fell -dropped- in his palm. His grip was so weak Megatron had to grip his hand rather tightly. With utmost care, Megatron pulled Starscream to his shaking feet. The seeker balanced on his heels, his other hand flying up to grab onto Megatron's thick wrist when he nearly fell again. After several equilibrium adjustments with his ruffled, Starscream nervously nodded that he was ready. Not trusting his seeker's balance, Megatron slowly pressed one mammoth hand to the small of Starscream's back while he still held his hand. As awkward and strange as it was, there was some kind of weight that seemed to give from his spine. 

A small one, but it lifted none the less.


	2. Warmth

Starscream exhaled heavily. Chest rising and falling as he fought to regain his breath and lower his body temperature. A bead of sweat slid down his forehead. The potent smell of sex clung to himself and the mammoth body beside him. His lip curled. One hand unraveled from the dark purple sheets to slide down his body and press gently to his distended front. His manicured claws brushed gently across his skin. His limbs were heavy with exhaustion and he struggled to keep his eyes open. The sheets of the bed wrapped warmly around, heat doubled by the inferno that was his bed partner. He glanced at the clock on the nigh stand. It'd been 10 minutes. That was 9 minutes over the usual refractory period. Megatron had yet to shove him from the bed and the room. However, no risk was worth the wrath of Megatron so it was safer not to assume.

With that, Starscream cautiously got to his feet and folded the blanket gently back over the mattress. The cold air hit his skin and sunk in to his very bone. He shivered in turn as he tried to locate his clothing along the even colder floor. His precious wings curled forwards as if to shield him from the cold wind; but there was no wind. 

After casting one longing glance at the warm purple blankets, Starscream set to the stealthy work of gathering his garments that had been cast off in a frenzy of lust fueled limbs. 

Pants, shirt, goggles, gloves, coat, jacket, sock, boots underwear, another sock-

Starscream turned about, brow furrowed in confusion which promptly dropped when he spotted his scarf by the edge of the bed. He shuffled towards it, lowering himself onto his knees to get it. Unfortunately, he underestimated his balance and had to catch himself on the bed. Sighing deeply, Starscream added the red scarf to his arm of clothing and stood up. 

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a big hand wrapped around his smaller-in-comparison wrist. He'd apparently missed the rustle of sheets and he hurried to apologize to Megatron for waking him up. However, he was shocked into silence when Megatron tugged gently on his wrist.

"Stay."

Starscream stared uncomprehending at his leader. There was a firm tug on his wrist as he was forced to drop all his clothes and bump gracelessly back onto the mattress. He grunted as he was pulled onto it and gasped in spite of himself when Megatron's muscular arm curled around his awkward midsection and pulled him against his large chest. He tensed when Megatron's clawed paw stroked down his back. His fingers brushed along the joints of his wings and startled the seeker when they began rolling into the taught muscle of his shoulder blades and rubbing delicately at the wings' delicate joints. The pleasant ache compelled him to moan against the front of his leader's shoulder. Long feathered wings beat restlessly as Starscream hooked his arm under Megatron's and over his broad shoulder. 

Megatron worked out the knots littering his Second's back with a look of faint concentration. His brow furrowed just so with the work of a particularly stubborn knot but the warlord showed no emotion otherwise. 

With each knot, the seeker slowly grew more soft to hold. His muscles were no longer tensed, but there were an ungodly amount of knots. On the 8th knot, Megatron withdrew his hands, sliding them down Starscream's sides to pull the blanket out from under him. He pulled the comforter up to Starscream's shoulder, swathing his bed partner into the warmth again. Even in his dazed state of mind, guard dropped alarmingly low, Starscream was shocked by this uncharacteristic show of... Affection. He realized it was likely because of the child he carried, the heir as Soundwave insisted on calling it. But Starscream couldn't refrain from pretending that Megatron did actually care. 

At least a little.


	3. Basic Instinct

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stuff I should have mentioned in the first chapter:  
> 1\. In this fic, the characters are all hermaphroditic; which means they have a penis and a vagina.   
> 2\. They have chips implanted in their heads that gives them a holographic projection of their stats and messages
> 
> That's all I can think of for now.
> 
> Enjoy, thanks for reading :)

Megatron was angry. Very angry.

Of course, Megatron getting angry was as common as Soundwave's silence. It wasn't anything new.

Nonetheless, the crew on the command deck moved to accommodate the tyrant's furious form as he entered. Soundwave did little to show acknowledgment of his leader's presence, but he kept a trained eye on the warlord and his second that followed him in, cooing desperately at him to get him to calm down. It was futile and Soundwave knew it, but for the sake of Starscream and potentially his offspring, the infiltrator would not allow a single thing pass under his radar.

"My Lord, it was simply a fault in the data base's coordinates. Surely this isn't what's upset you," Starscream's vocals made the hair on the back of Soundwave's neck raise as it usually did when the seeker got to close. He had the SiCkness as the crew had dubbed it.

SiCkness wasn't a real ailment. It was more of a curse, as once again, the crew called it, that fell on the poor soul who assumed the status of Second in Command of the Decepticons. With every soul that stood as second to Megatron, there came the eternal damnation to forever suffer the warlord's hands simply because he'd be the closest one to blame and beat and justify it with their stupidity. Starscream, miraculously, still stood because of his infuriating incapability to give up and die, or vise versa. However, Soundwave was sure Starscream, especially in his current condition, would have given anything possible to be spared another punishment at Megatron's hands. 

"Incorrect coordinated that YOU handed in!" Megatron's booming vocals made a drone flinch off to the right of the TiC. There was a shift of wings and Starscream spoke, "I got them from Soundwave, My Lord-"

"Don't try to pin this on Soundwave, Starscream, you were perfectly capable of double checking the coordinates!"

"I-I did not think I would need to, S-Soundwave-"

_Never gets anything wrong._

The obvious next words. Words Soundwave agreed with - those coordinates were indeed correct. It was just poor timing on their part that they arrived so unwelcomingly (not to mention the Autobot signals that he detected just a few minutes too late, but that wasn't anyone's problem but his). There was simply no chance of convincing the Decepticon leader.

See, the curse of being SiC, was everything was somehow your fault. Even if it obviously wasn't, Megatron purposely went looking for them (even if he himself wasn't away he did it) if only to have an excuse to hit someone - severity of the punishment depending on the severity of the fault. This was the reason Soundwave was not Second in Command. The offer had been made three time, twice beside Starscream's hospital bed, and once over the same seeker's crumpled form, drowning in his own blood. Soundwave, each time, politely declined. 

Megatron had asked him, times before, why he did not accept his offers (note Soundwave had the privilege of being _offered_ not ordered) of second most powerful man in the army. Soundwave answered the same every time; there were better people. Megatron would deny this just as much, but would not press the subject when Soundwave politely asked to change it. 

Soundwave had the one thing Starscream longed for the most: Megatron's respect. Thus, Soundwave would never lie to him. However, he was not above stretching the truth. Or leaving parts of it out.

It was not entirely so that there were better people than him (there were, he just so happened to be located on Cybertron and specialized in a different field), it was that Starscream specifically was the only living being stubborn enough to pick himself up and continue after endless abuse. Megatron could rip off his wings and throw him in the brig but he'd bounce back, scarred and damaged, but with a new fire every time. Starscream's pride wouldn't allow submission and the admittance of defeat. It was... Remarkable. Enviable, almost, that Starscream could get up every time Megatron struck him down. Soundwave knew, despite his intelligence and utter logical state of mind, most certainly, that if Megatron struck him with the intention to injure and punish, Soundwave would not rise. He could never, like it was written in his DNA, defy Megatron. He'd deny it, but if Megatron told him to kill himself, he would do it. 

Because it would mean he had lost Megatron's trust, faith, and respect. 

Soundwave would do anything Megatron asked.... Even if it meant defying him in the future.

A sharp sound of skin striking skin made Soundwave turn to face the two commanding officers.

Megatron's hand hung poised in the air, Starscream frozen in front of him, head snapped to the side from the strike to his face. 

"ENOUGH!" Megatron spat, Starscream flinched. The same hand he used to smack him grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward. "You're stupidity is to blame."

_"Soundwave."_

_"Yes my Lord?"_

_"I have a favor to ask you in this brief window of clarity I have."_

"But why am I surprised?" The tyrant's fist must have gotten tighter because Starscream winced and tried to pull away. 

_"It has become apparent that... Starscream is... Carrying my child and thus my potential heir. In light of this, it has come that Starscream will be more vulnerable and weak than he can control. It will be difficult to defend himself..."_

"This is to be expected from a weak, impudent, arrogant, wretch such as yourself," Megatron shoved his arms forward, thrusting Starscream harshly to the ground.

_"I have chosen you to protect him and the youngling from any possible threat when I am unable..."_

Starscream did not grovel or beg at Megatron's feet. He stayed on the ground, silent and unmoving as Megatron looked down at him with an utterly disgusted look. 

"You've ben nothing but a liability since the beginning and now you're even more useless than before. The only thing keeping you alive is my heir you bare within you!"

_"That includes protecting them from myself."_

Soundwave did not allow Megatron to get any closer to the grounded Seeker. He erected himself between Lord and Commander, effectively shocking ever living soul in the command deck. He stood straight, simple presence enough to freeze the unfreezable tyrant.

The true motivation behind protecting the seeker, was the risk of losing him.

Starscream was too emotionally unstable and weak. There was no denial it was obvious. All of his physical energy went into nourishing his child. Every name and slap he was given was sharper and more powerful than it had ever been. Soundwave knew Starscream would not be able to get up again.

_"As you wish, My Lord."_

Something changed in Megatron's face. That wrathful scowl of disgust was suddenly caked with confusing and disbelief (from Soundwave's actions or the realization of what he'd just done was unknown even to Soundwave). The tyrant took a step back, eye wide, expression loaded. His wine red eyes flickered between Soundwave and Starscream. His mask crumbled before them.

"Get out of my sight," He said, low voice hoarse. "Both of you." Soundwave's body snapped into action and he was turning to the seeker still on the ground. He didn't bother waiting for him to stand, instead yanking him to his feet and shoving him towards the door. There was an indignant squawk from the SiC as he was thrust into the hallway.

"Don't touch me!" Starscream struggled predictably, wings slapping at Soundwave (another sure sign of Starscream's depleting strength as a single swipe from those storm proofed wings should have knocked him off his feet ). Soundwave pinned them down with his chest while he held the seeker's arms with his own in a weird backwards hug. He felt the seeker's unnaturally hard midsection against his forearms before making a split second decision.

The sight of the knife mad Starscream shriek. Soundwave maneuvered awkwardly to press the blade of his dagger to Starscream's bottom ribs. He suffered the back of Starscream's head smashed into his masked nose before he ripped the knife down and the corset burst open. 

Starscream's gasp of shock and oxygen was almost pitiful. His legs gave out from beneath him and he threw his weight back against Soundwave.

" _You require rest_ ," Soundwave sent the text to the SiC's implanted HUD. Starscream's wings twitched restlessly and slid down Soundwave's front. Soundwave's dagger went back to his hip and his arm hoisted the limp Second up higher.

"Let go..." Starscream muttered, his claws tugging weakly at Soundwave's fingers. 

" _You must rest. You are weak-_ " Perhaps not the best choice of words. Starscream snarled at him and slashed the profile of his masked face face. The visor, scratched, kept his skin safe but not his patience. His hand clamped around Starscream's mouth and he looped his arms around Starscream's keeping him thoroughly immobile. With this position in Soundwave's favor, the spy forced Starscream to stare down his body. 

" _This is weakening you,_ " Soundwave sent him. His own eyes were locked on the mound of flesh that got bigger every passing day positioned awkwardly between the seeker's hips. " _That's what he told you. But it's not_ ," Starscream jerked, heels digging violently into the ground. " _That is every reason you are stronger than him,_ " Wings shifted and beat once at the air. " _Prove him wrong. You're good at that,_ " He let that message linger in his HUD as he finally released the seeker, feathers coming loose and snarls being made.

Starscream glare at Soundwave, one hand pressing protectively over his belly, the other curled menacingly. Soundwave held that glare until Starscream dropped it. 

" _Report to the med bay or I'll do it for you_ ," Soundwave projected his final message with a swift flick of his coat, the blue fabric flaring as he turned. He left down the hall, visor showing the security feed of the command deck door, Starscream still present. An enhanced close up showed the seeker seemingly contemplating the Third's words. 

Then, he turned down the hall grumbling as he swept up the corset abandoned and ruined on the floor, and made his way to the med bay. 

Soundwave accepted this as a victory. If he continued to give Starscream these little pushes, they'd all make it easily to the child's birth and the another name will be added to the archives and another moment marked in Decepticon history as the birth of the Decepticon heir conceived by the Second in Command and the Warlord himself. 

Soundwave could not predict what would become of the unlucky child, what with two parents that hate each other and a rival faction that could attempt to abduct the child to use to their advantage. 

However...

As much as Soundwave hated Starscream, he'd make it his business to know the child's wellbeing and assist the seeker when he absolutely needed it. 

 

Contrary to common belief, Soundwave did not doubt Starscream's parenting abilities. Even though Starscream expressed resentment and hatred towards the life growing inside him, all flier had basic carrier instinct. Starscream would know the child was distressed before it even started crying. The child's cries would distress him until they stopped. Whether he wanted to or not, Starscream would protect and care for the child because his body wouldn't allow otherwise. 

Soundwave's real worry was Megatron. Or at least his temper. As long as Soundwave had known Megatron, he had no clue how Megatron's unpredictable and volatile personality would react once it clashed with the child. He decided the he shouldn't worry about it now. 

Instead, he should worry about now and what he was going to do when the child was born.


	4. Doctor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy do I have a surprise for you! This chapter was ACTUALLY beta read! What a concept. Thank you to @meownasaur who was the beta reader.

"Any changes?" Knockout inquired, his hands rubbing gently along the underside of Starscream's distended abdomen. 

"Not especially..." Starscream hummed thoughtfully, genuinely thinking about it. "At least not bad changes."

"Oh?" Knockout looked up. "Care to share?" He leaned back when the seeker didn't answer immediately. Starscream faced the other direction, his face flushed. Knockout opened his mouth to question him but he was surprised, pleasantly, by a bump against his hands. His eyebrows shot up and he couldn't fight the smile that spread across his lips. "Well, that's one way of sharing. I must say, if it's kicking now, that's a healthy baby if I ever felt one."

"And you have?" Starscream arched a brow critically.

"Of course. I am a doctor. Even though I didn't have an actual clinic, you'd be surprised how many carriers go into labor in public places," Knockout reached to grab a medical scanner off the tray cart. He turned it on, altered the settings, and held it over the seeker's hips. "This far along I should be able to tell if it's a boy or girl," 

"It won't really matter but it would be nice to know." Starscream scratched awkwardly at his wrist. The medical scanner whirred as the Decepticon CMO passed it over him.

The dark heavy bruises under the medic's red eyes were bigger than they were last night. He looked considerably more haggard, red-dyed hair styled with only half as much character as it had when he first boarded the Nemesis. The obnoxious red color was fading, a lighter but duller shade of pink with albino white roots that made him look aged than he actually was. His untreated insomnia didn't do well for his complexion; Knockout had moaned about it the other day, pulling on his eyelids and looking at his reflection distastefully while saying "I look like a dead Valentine's Day greeting card". The medic was as empty as the med bay. 

Losing his bond mate really took a toll. It amazed Starscream, now that he thought about it, just how much Breakdown had an affect on Knockout. It seemed he was the source of motivation behind Knockout's vanity. He had heard from the crew, about a week after Breakdown's passing, that the medic had ripped the med bay apart and nearly killed a vehicon that had come in to investigate the noise via a hack saw. It took Soundwave and Megatron himself to restrain and calm him down. Knockout didn't speak for weeks after that. 

Breakdown and Knockout hadn't even been actual bond mates. Decepticon records only said they had been promised to one another, but never actually bonded. 

The scanner beeped and Knockout hooked it up to the console to be processed. 

Starscream, ever alone and grouchy, worked himself to the bone trying to get Knockout out of the pity-hole-of-grief he'd dug himself into. Neither SiC nor CMO had any other supportive soul on board, so it seemed a good idea to start with the lonely and severely emotionally unstable doctor. Starscream's insufferable persistence managed to work Knockout into a delicate comradery. It got stronger with time and interaction until Starscream could just walk into the med bay complaining about some _stupid thing Megatron actually did, no I'm serious he actually did it, in front of me just to piss me off_ and Knockout would complain right with him. 

Starscream refused to acknowledged it as a friendship. 

Knockout made choked noise from where he sat at the monitor, smiling a.... very odd smile.

"What?" Starscream have demanded.

"Well, if I'm reading this right, and I've always read this right, your 'it'," the CMO turned to face him, "is actually a 'them', and they, both of them, are all she's." 

It took a minute, the med bay's beeping equipment the only sound currently registered before Starscream's wings jerked and his mouth opened. 

"W-wait you mean there's..."

"Twins, Air Commander," Knockout's expression was infectious. 

Starscream sat up, a hand to his mouth. Two? This was unexpected... Very unexpected. 

Should he tell Megatron? What if it made him angry? Did he want to know what would happen? It stung enough that Megatron already didn't care enough to even come to these stupid check-ups, Starscream didn't think he could handle Megatron straight up ignoring him, _them_. He swung his legs over the side of the medical bed. 

"I don't know if I...." Starscream ran a hand through his black hair. "How can I care for two? I-I have work!"

"It's actually better, in a way," Knockout began intelligently. "It's psychologically proven that children raised with siblings are mentally healthier. They won't ever quite be alone when you're on duty." Knockout got up to grab the SiC's coat from where it had fallen on the floor. He came over to stand by him. "And, if it helps, I'll help with them whenever I can."

Starscream's head whipped up in disbelief.

"You will?" It was more of a confrontation than an inquiry. 

"Yes. Despite what... Many might believe, I actually love children," Knockout's face, despite his smile, pinched briefly in pain. Starscream could hear it in his voice. 

One night, when Starscream had had access to a good bottle of wine, Knockout had slurred to him with a mournful face, that he could not have children. He explained, when Starscream asked, that it was a biological issue. Some cruel joke nature likes to play on people, in Knockout's exact words. 

"It takes two to raise kids," Knockout chimed.

"Yes. It does..." There was so much bitterness in that answer that neither spoke when Starscream got up to leave.


	5. Feathers and Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha guess what.
> 
> It's not betaed again HO HO HO HO HO HO HO!!!!!

Smokescreen would be flat out lying if he said he’d done the right thing and gone to get Ratchet. 

But it couldn’t exactly be held against him, he’d never been in a situation like this, and frankly, it was Starscream. Faking pain wasn’t above him.

Rewind back to the energon mine. A raid gone wrong for the Decepticons, a raid gone right for the Autobots. Complete and total control of the mine once Arcee nailed Starscream right out of the air with a stun gun. In a sort of panicked control, they locked the SiC in their only cell and claimed a ransom Megatron probably wasn’t going to pay or even acknowledge. 

They had an entire mine.

They had the Decepticon Second in Command….

Who’d started to make weird noises twenty minutes ago. 

Smokescreen had assumed those were the normal noises one made after taking an electric blast to the gut before falling several feet into the stone ground. 

An hour later, he was awake, shouting for five minutes, none of them answering . He went silent for a time and then the groaning started, with them the labored breathing. Another half hour and Smokescreen got worried when the groans turned into moans of pain. 

When someone is in pain (and not asking for help), go get Ratchet. 

Smokescreen got Ratchet, and that’s where they were now.

The door swung open and Ratchet shoved past Smokescreen into the cell. Smokescreen stayed back, frankly kind of nervous. There was something about this situation that just screamed stay away. 

He got assurance when both men in the cell began to verbally attack each other. 

“SMOKESCREEN!” Ratchet sounded particularly pissed. “GET ARCEE!”

And Arcee he got.

Upon her retrieval and her presence, Ratchet rushed back out. Less than a minute later, Ratchet had Optimus and his bag of medicinal wonders. 

“You’re sure?” Optimus asked.

“Yes, he’s been hiding it with less than preferred methods.” Ratchet held the cell door open for Optimus. “That idiot’s been in labor for two hours.”

“What was he doing in the mine?” That was the most emotion Smokescreen had ever heard from Optimus. “I thought seekers were protective when carrying?”

“My guess is nobody knew about but he didn’t want to compromise himself.”

“That’s foolish-“

“That’s Starscream.”

“Ratchet…”

“There is,” Ratchet shuddered, “so much damage, Optimus. From corset he was wearing, from the fall, the gun. He’s bleeding internally, he’d stressed to a level that could become fatal for the child during the birthing process.” Ratchet’s voice dropped so low that Smokescreen strained to hear it. “There’s no way both seeker and child will make it. Not with the equipment we have.”

Both older men turned sharply when shouts echoed against the walls. The urgency increased and they went into the cell. 

Smokescreen didn’t feel 100% present, not to mention a little faint. 

Bulkhead and Wheeljack were seemingly summoned via com when Starscream started screaming. Bumblebee tried to enter but Ratchet sent him away to go retrieve Novocain from his office. Judging by the noise and Ratchet’s commands, it took Bulkhead _and_ Wheeljack to hold down Starscream’s wings, Arcee to keep his arms pinned, and Optimus to keep his legs open. He’d never been so relieved to be excluded from the action.

Smokescreen had never heard such raw anger and fear and pain in one voice. It echoed off the walls, amplified. Smokescreen covered his ear sat one point when it became unbearable, Bumblebee pacing beside him. 

The screams faded, eventually, into moans of defeat (likely due to the pain killers). Smokescreen and Bumblebee were told to come in. Every step felt intrusive and too loud. Both feared what they’d see. 

What was there was more dead than alive. 

Smokescreen would have thought the bloody white body between his team was dead had Starscream not been heaving for breath. It was hard to take in the blood and Bumblebee was determined to avoid looking directly at the two bloody bundles of fabric tucked quietly in the corner. 

Optimus stood.

“Hold his legs.” The Prime instructed softly. Not ones to be squeamish at any time, they knelt and tentatively held the seeker’s thighs and knees. They averted their eyes when Ratchet went back in with a needle. Outside of the cell, the familiar sounds of Optimus hailing the Nemesis brought a horrible sinking feeling to all of their hearts. 

There was no way this was going to end well. 

=

He could feel it.

He could feel _everything_.

He could feel it all.

Down.

Everything was moving down.

His insides were moving down.

Pain tore his hips and he instantly called Knockout.

He was unable to finish the call because the cave entrance exploded.

Setbacks.

Setbacks.

Setbacks.

He almost could have made it. 

The pain made his flight sluggish and before he could escape through the hole in the ceiling from the transporter tube, something horrible and hot hit him _right there_ , right where he knew he’d lost before he even began, and the ground blacked him out. 

He woke up in every bird’s worst nightmare: a cage. He knew, instantly, that everything was wrong. He screamed and shouted but not once did he mention it. He couldn’t give them that kind of leverage. 

The pain made him stop eventually. He pressed himself anxiously into a corner like a frightened animal so he could frantically strip off his gear, his shirt, and stare at the corset and his pants. Blood soaked his hips and thighs and he tore the corset off with a savagery that would put Predacons to shame. 

Starscream barely muffled his exclamation of horror with his hand at the sight of the yellow and black bruise smoldering on his abdomen. There was… There was no way they could still be… But they had to be. He dared hope that, the offspring of the Mighty Megatron, would be strong enough to make it into his arms. 

It could have been worse… Arcee could have pierced the corset and shot him through and killed all three of them. 

He chose to stand, thighs together while blood gushed from the sore reaches of his gestational chamber. It made his skin itch. 

He begged the girls inside him to wait, begged them to hold on, Megatron will come and get them, they’ll be fine, but Starscream knew that the chances of Megatron going out of his way to break into a mine that the Autobots stole from them just to get Starscream and children he probably didn’t even want were very slim. 

Starscream was going to die here. He could accept that.

But he could not accept the same fate for his children.

So he did the next best thing:

Moan until they got a medic. It took far too long than he would have liked and Starscream almost passed out from the pain and oxygen loss when Ratchet’s unpleasant personality forced him to bitch back. 

It got even worse when Arcee came and forced him onto his back, choke hold weakening him even more than he was before. 

She held him down as the medic left for supplies, all the while cussing at Starscream for wearing a corset while carrying and being on the battle field. Writhing in agony, Ratchet returned with the Prime. 

He had no idea what the Prime was supposed to do but he did a good job keeping Starscream’s legs open. Arcee made herself comfy by pinning Starscream’s arms down with her razor sharp knees. It seemed fairly effective until Starscream smacked all three of them with his wings. They ended up calling for reinforcements. He was trapped when Bulkhead and Wheeljack pinned his wings down.

He screamed more, struggling the entire time. He regretting calling for help, he would have faired fien on his own, he was sure of it. 

He fought even the injection of what was likely pain killers judging by the numbness and the lack of operational senses that followed quickly after the needle was pulled from his skin. 

He fought the desperation that came when he tried to push the twins out but felt pain unimaginable even through the pain killers. He failed to hold back tears when the enemy medic cut his stomach open, just below the swell. 

_He screamed and begged “no please no don’t take them”._

They pulled him open. It was all he saw before Arcee’s hand stole his vision, his most valued sense, and left Starscream’s stunned and damaged body to lay limp against her knees, mond cracked woth grief and horrid fantasy.

 _No._  
No, please, no.  
Don’t take the only things I’ve ever loved.  
Don’t take the product of the only love I’ve ever felt.  
Even if that love wasn’t real.  
_Don’t take my daughters._

He sobbed for an end. He sobbed for the beginning he so badly wanted them to have. He’d die to keep them alive. He’d be in inexperienced but no doubt capable hands whether they be Autobot or an albino Decepticon CMO. They’d be in hands that’d provide the love they’d need. They’d be safe under Soundwave’s watchful eyes. They’d thrive off inspiration Megatron sparked in all living things within hearing distance. He was nothing to the Decepticons anyway. What did they need him for? He was weak and stupid. He couldn’t lead or fight his way out of a fucking paper bag. 

He cried himself hoarse, lifting his head, perhaps to catch a glimpse of them, what they might have looked like, if they’d survived at all. Arcee held his head down. 

He’d never so badly wished to be dead than he did now. 

=

In all his years…

Megatron had never been so angry and lost all at once. 

Angry at the Autobots for winning.

Angry at the energon mine they’d needed. 

Angry at himself for letting Starscream leave.

Lost because he’d never felt this way before, whatever the ever loving FUCK it was. 

Lost because he had never been sure if he’d even wanted a child.

Lost because he was actually _worried_ for _Starscream_.

Knockout had dutifully informed him of Starscream call and an instant later stared in horror as it was revealed that their SiC was being held hostage. 

Now, a solid three and half hours later, Megatron was informed of another encrypted message on top of the ransom the Prime had sent before. 

Megatron wanted to spit in that smug bastard’s face, but he settled for a deadly glare at the Prime called a ceasefire and requested to meet at the mouth of the mine, ransom forgotten.

“Soundwave…” He cracked his knuckles with a single clench of his fist, “Knockout. Board the ground bridge. 

And they stood a good five yards from the entrance with a nervous wreck of a medic and five armed soldiers not including Megatron and Soundwave.

“Where is he?” His speech was muffled from his grit teeth. 

Optimus showed the way with a calm wave of his hand. Their footsteps echoed about the mine as they went deeper and deeper.

Stupid Autobots. Don’t know that Seeker’s have claustrophobia on an ungodly level. 

Upon seeing Ratchet guarding the open cell door with Bumblebee and Smokescreen, Knockout hurried ahead of the Decepticons and entered the cell with a noteworthy trade of dirty looks. 

Megatron hung back at the entrance of the cell, focusing a glare on the three Autobots in front of him. He did not acknowledge the shuddering gasps and soothing words to come from inside the cell, nor did he the silence that would not normally follow newborns. When Ratchet was called, Megatron followed. 

“We were completely unaware of his condition –one of our own incapacitated him-“

“With a stun gun at THIS voltage?!” Knockout cut him off, anger wrinkling his entire face. Megatron stood beside them both but did not make an effort to look down. 

“Had to make sure he was down for good.” Wheeljack nearly fell over from the painful jab Bulkhead delivered to his ribcage. 

Megatron twitched. 

“Starscream did not say he was in labor. There was too much internal damage, blood flooded the womb. I ended up having to perform a C-section. There were too many complications and his daughters…”

Daughters…  
Daughters?  
Two?  
…. Twins?  
That was…  
What?

“… Didn’t make it.” Ratchet’s fists clenched. 

Oh.

…….

Megatron’s hand around Ratchet’s throat had Autobots coming forward and Decepticons deflecting them. He held the medic close so only he could hear his rasping vocals.

“You mean to tell me that because of your stupidity, _my_ children are dead?” He could see the blood soaked bundles hidden away. “You honestly thought you could break it to me gentle like some misunderstanding?” Ratchet choked, war-worn hands pinching Megatron’s wrist tightly. He cracked an eye open, teeth bared at him in a frozen cringe. 

“It is a ceasefire, Megatron.” Optimus’s voice cut through their tense bubble. “Release him.” He had too many people to be made at; too many that Megatron almost broke the Autobot’s neck. Instead, he waited for the medic to go limp in his grip before dropping him. Ratchet crumpled to the floor. 

He finally dared look at the Decepticon’s on the ground. 

Knockout was wrapping what he could of Starscream in white blood-soaking gauze. The albino had even laid his pristine jacket over Starscream’s spread knees. Soundwave broke the zip ties from his wings. Bloody feathers, feathers and blood covered the cell floor. He did not look lower than the seeker’s shoulders and decided to watch Knockout’s face.

When Knockout’s white face did nothing to appease him, Megatron clenched his fists. 

“We’re leaving now,” he ordered. “I do not care what condition he is in, carry him or leave him, I will not stay here any longer.” He realized his mistake too late. Knockout was much too short to be able to properly carry Starscream and Soundwave, though strong, could not possibly be able to carry someone as awkward to hold as Starscream. His wings would not clear the ground. Impatient, Megatron strode forward, growling. His hand scraped underneath Starscream’s shoulders while the other collected his knees. Starscream’s face contorted with pain and he groaned in what was only agony. 

This…

This was terrible.


	6. After

He would not be able to carry again, he’d been told. 

Intensive surgery (and a half hostile half domestic conversation with Ratchet) saw Knockout removing the mangles womb, whatever was left of it. 

Everything connected to his reproductive system was horribly scarred and held together with delicate and painful stitches. He could hardly sit down without choking on sobs. Walking was a chore so he tried not to do it. 

Easy, he was relieved of duty until further notice. He had nothing better to do than lay in bed or drag his miserable body to the flight deck and choke himself through four packs of cigarettes at a time. 

He’d smashed all the mirrors in his quarters and effused to let maintenance drones replace them. 

=

Knockout visited his hab suit often; for checkups, to bring food, company…

Megatron had visited twice in two weeks after he was released from the med bay. 

The first time Megatron had come to yell at him. Figures, he’d thought. Figures the only time Megatron could show passion for anything was when he was venting all his rage on his inferior. The warlord had been honest, called him stupid, useless. He’d tried to stand up for himself, to defend what scarp of himself he had left, and got struck across the face for it. 

The second time he came, three hours later, the room wreaked of smoke and the raw stench of blood. He found Starscream on the floor, with a box of cigarettes torn open and laying in a clutter of plucked feathers spattered with blood. He didn’t move when Megatron came over, didn’t even spare him a look. He moved even less when his superior (gently) pulled the nicotine out of his mouth and put it out in the filthy ashtray. He smoothed a hand over the bruise he’d made on Starscream’s paler-than-usual cheek. 

Then he left. 

Starscream never hated being alone until now.

 

~The End~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this tore your heart out.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading *claps*


End file.
